Attendee Pricing

Parent/Guardian/Self Advocate - $45

1 Admission to Conference

Professionals - $65

1 Admission to Conference

ELIJA Foundation Members - $20

Conference is $20 with ELIJA Foundation membership. Click here to become a member.

Self - Direction / IDGS funding and OTPS Respite may be applicable, 

E-mail: deb@elija.org

 

Attendance Registration Deadline is May 6, 2024

 

Conference Presenters:

 Patricia Calandra

Region 5 Master Housing Navigator, Start up & Support Broker

Patricia Calandra works with the The New York Housing Resource Center (HRC) for People with Intellectual / Developmental Disabilities. The HRC acts as a clearinghouse for information and resources for the housing professional across the state and helps to foster collaboration between and among the housing industry and related professions, service provider agencies and people with I/DD. The HRC provides all housing stakeholders with technical assistance on housing matters and community training for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their families.

 Lisa Corleto

Director, Pathways to Wellness Counseling Center

Lisa Corleto, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), is a brand new addition to SILO. She is a compassionate and dedicated professional with several years of experience supporting the community through a variety of roles, including treating incarcerated women on Riker’s Island, supervising a family clinic that specialized in mental health and substance abuse, as well as supporting the city on it’s new Mental Health Response Unit. Through her empathetic approach and comprehensive understanding of trauma-informed care, Lisa has empowered countless community members and advocated for improved access to quality mental healthcare.

Additionally, she has completed the Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI), which enables her to support master’s level interns. Lisa is dedicated to support budding clinicians in the field and offer them a space to learn and grow in their careers.

With a foundation built on evidence-based practices and ongoing professional development, Lisa ensures that her therapeutic interventions are tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual she serves. Her expertise extends to diverse populations, including those navigating complex trauma, substance abuse, and severe mental illness through use of an eclectic, culturally competent approach drawing from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Positive Psychology, and Strengths Based Practices.

Beyond her clinical work, Lisa is committed to advocacy and community outreach, striving to raise awareness about the impact of trauma and the importance of accessible mental health support. She is known for her collaborative spirit, often partnering with local organizations and support networks to enhance resources for all.

 Kelly Rae Douglas

Director of Independent Living Services and NY Connects at SILO

Kelly Rae Douglas started her career with SILO as an Administrative Assistant with the NY Connects Program in 2017. From that point, her passion for Human Services & Advocacy only continued to grow as she moved into various positions within the organization, leading to her current position as NY Connects Program Director. Kelly-Rae holds a CASAC-T credential from Outreach Training Institute. Kelly-Rae is also a leadership member of LI-CAN, a not for profit that brings community members, organizations & agencies together to work with political leadership towards systemic change on various issues within our communities.

Leslie Feinberg

President, (SOYAN) Supporting Our Youth & Adults Network 

I am a mother of 3 adults in their 30’s and live with my husband of almost  40 years in Merrick. After a lifetime of asking questions and searching for options to support our youngest son, in 2009 we applied for OPWDD. Our son’s self-direction plan launched in 2011. Educating myself about OPwDD and developmental disabilities and finding community became my vocation.  I’m a graduate of Families Together’s Family Peer Advocate program, Partners in Policymaking, and completed NY Alliance’s Housing Navigation coursework. Out of my need for community and information sprang Supporting Our Youth & Adults Network. SOYAN is an all volunteer family lead not for profit supporting families, caregivers and self-advocates who are receiving supports and services through OPWDD’s Self-Direction model. SOYAN provides peer support through educational workshops and mentorship focusing on empowerment, advocacy and deep dives into the Self-Direction guidelines. SOYAN advocates at the state level for the sustainability and continuity of the hallmarks of the Self-Direction model: choice, flexibility and community integration opportunities. 

 Alberta Galdi

Project Coordinator WIHD (Westchester Institute for Human Development) at SILO

Alberta has worked in Human Services for over 40 years, in very diverse programs from mental health, housing, community outreach and program development. She is now the coordinator for the Disability Vaccine Access Opportunity Grant, which ensures equitable access to vaccines and booster shots for people with disabilities, as well as the Westchester Institute for Human Development Innovative Tech in Housing Initiative (WIHD) grant. WIHD is a 3-year project that ensures the availability of enabling and/or assistive technology for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) in order to promote and support independent living. Alberta is a recipient of the Award for Excellence from the Foundation for Human Potential. Her tenure here at SILO, for the past 5 years, has produced an expansion of her advocacy for the most marginalized groups of people within our community, that SILO serves. She is rooted in solution based options, in shared power/partnership, and promoting an empowered and interdependent lifestyle for people with different abilities-Including Loving Kindness.

 Doreen Jaggs, M.Ed

Board Chairwoman, Autism Communities

Doreen Jaggs is the Board Chairwoman for Autism Communities and brings a wealth of professional and personal experience to the table. Doreen spent nearly a decade in Human Resources and Employee Relations, specializing in resolving disciplinary and performance matters. Additionally, she regularly conducted employee and management training.

Beyond these professional endeavors, Doreen has been deeply involved in the special needs community. Having a son who is on the autism spectrum, Doreen chose to homeschool her son for many years and founded a homeschool group for special needs families in Pennsylvania where her family was residing at the time. This initiative underscores her commitment to advocacy and support.

Doreen earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and holds a Master's degree in Counseling, which equip her with a strong foundation in understanding human behavior and addressing individual needs. Her roots in Long Island, combined with her passion for fostering inclusive housing opportunities and social avenues for people with disabilities, reflect her dedication to creating a more inclusive society.

Diane Lagoumis

Director of Community and Self-Directed Services East End Disability Associates, Inc.

Diane Lagoumis is a passionate advocate and leader in the field of disability services, with a career spanning over 30 years. Currently serving as the Director of Community and Self-Directed Services at East End Disability Associates, Inc., Diane has consistently demonstrated her commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. East End Disability Associates, Inc. is a Fiscal Intermediary providing supports to over 450 individuals throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

In addition to her role at East End Disability Associates, Diane is the President of the Long Island Fiscal Intermediary Network (LI-FI), which fosters collaboration and innovation within the disability community on Long Island and to drive forward initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life and opportunities for individuals with disabilities across the region. Working together, the LI-FI network members examine the unique needs and challenges faced by individuals navigating self-directed services to exercise greater choice and control over their support services within Medicaid and OPWDD requirements to ultimately fostering independence and autonomy.

Debra MacKenzie

Director of Operations, Autism Communities

Debra MacKenzie serves as the Director of Operations for Autism Communities, where she passionately leads initiatives to enhance the live of neurodiverse young adults on Long Island. With over 18 years of dedicated experience in the nonprofit sector, Debra brings a wealth of expertise in fundraising, marketing, communication, software implementation, grant research and writing, event management, and strategic development.

Debra oversees the day-to-day operations at Autism Communities, ensuring the seamless delivery and growth of programs and services tailored to meet the needs of neurodiverse young adults. Her commitment to fostering independence drives her efforts to innovate and expand the organization’s reach within the community.

Throughout her career, Debra has cultivated and nurtured strong relationships with key stakeholders across Long Island and the East Coast, positioning Autism Communities as a trusted partner in advocating for and supporting neurodiverse individuals.

John Maltby

Housing Resource Center (NYHRC)

Presentation Title: Housing Differences

Twenty-four years ago, three men with I/DD and their families created a non-certified home for themselves, long before non-certified settings were common. Over the years since, they have grown together, some parents have passed, siblings have grown, Live in Caregivers have shared their lives and Direct Support Professionals have in some cases been with them for many years. However, it has never been without challenges, some of which have changed over time, some which have become more threatening to their independence.

​John Maltby, co-chair of the NY Housing Resource Center will describe this one-of-a-kind housing journey, discuss the challenges they have faced and continue to face, and how everyone involved thinks about the future.

Bio: John spent 36 years on Wall Street before leaving the industry in 2007. He was graduated with an M.S. from Columbia University in May 2009, and served as the Director of the Community Support Network at WIHD, and an Assistant Professor of Public health practice, NY Medical College from 2009 through 2017. John was an adjunct professor of finance at Columbia University Graduate School of business from 2009-2014, and Columbia University School of social work from 2013 to 2018.

Since 2017 in Partnership with the NY Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, John created the Housing Resource Center (NYHRC) and its Housing Navigation course which has trained over 400 professionals in NY State. NYHRC has created seven Regional Housing Collaboratives to bring together developers, regulators, funders, legal and financial expertise to create more housing options. John is the author of NYAII’s “Housing Resource Guide”.

John is a long-time advocate for his son and for all people with disabilities, and has served on local and national boards of provider and advocacy agencies for many years.

 Roger McCaffrey

Independent Self-Direction Broker, RCM Self-Directed Supports LLC

After three decades immersed in the telecommunications industry, I embarked on a transformative journey that led me to discover a new purpose. In 2013, I earned a bachelor’s degree from the Stony Brook (SUNY) School of Social Welfare. Just before graduation, serendipity guided me toward serving the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) population as a direct support professional.

In that pivotal moment, I unearthed the profound impact of personalized care and advocacy. Promptly, I undertook the requisite OPWDD training, transitioning into the role of an independent self-direction start-up and support broker. Here, I channeled my passion for empowerment and individualized support into tangible change.

Over the past decade, my journey has been enriched by collaborating with over one hundred individuals and families, spanning six distinct fiscal intermediaries, and traversing two OPWDD Regions. Each encounter has deepened my understanding and fortified my commitment to fostering inclusivity and autonomy within the I/DD community.

Today, I actively support forty-one self-direction participants, whose ages range from 7 to 65. Each Self-Direction budget is meticulously tailored to meet the unique needs of every participant, ensuring their journey towards self-directed living.

Driven by an unwavering dedication and a steadfast belief in the inherent dignity of every individual, I tirelessly work to shape lives and champion the rights of those I serve. Anchored by a profound sense of purpose, I am committed to leveraging my experience and expertise to cultivate a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and live their best self-directed lives.

 Eileen McDonald Egan

Community Mainstreaming Associates, Inc., Executive Director

Community Mainstreaming Associates, Inc. (CMA) was founded by the mother of a young man with Autism in 1974.  Joan Brenner was one of the pioneer warrior moms who raised money to develop a group home in a beautiful Kings Point mansion, near her home in Port Washington.  Several of the initial residents of that home are still part of the CMA family, although they may have moved to a different house, based on their age and ambulatory support needs. 

CMA currently operates 10 Supervised group homes (homes certified by OPWDD and providing  staffing 24 hours per day), 10 Supportive apartment opportunities (homes for 2 or 3 people which are certified by OPWDD and provide staffing approximately 25 - 40 hours/week); and  we are in the process of building 10 uncertified apartments.  At CMA, we believe individuals and families should have choices regarding where they live and who they live with, and opportunities should be flexible to accommodate individuals’ changing needs throughout their lifespan. 

Bio: Eileen McDonald Egan has served as Executive Director of Community Mainstreaming Associates since 2012.  Her passion for creating family-style homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities began in the early 1980’s after witnessing the horrific conditions people endured living in state institutions and seeing the alternatives created by pioneering parent advocates and non-profit organizations.  Eileen is particularly proud of all of the advances that have occurred in the field throughout her career, a result of people learning to recognize, respect, and capitalize on the talents and rights of every individual.  She takes particular pride in the innovative new services Community Mainstreaming Associates continues to develop, responding to the evolving needs of individuals with disabilities.

Carol Napierski

Vice President of Program Development & Grant Management for the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation

Presentation Title: Exploring the Opportunities to Use Assistive Technology as a Natural Support

This presentation will explore the transformative role of technology in supporting people with developmental disabilities in various aspects of daily life. Specifically, we will discuss how technology and remote supports can assist individuals with cooking, taking medications and provide prompts and reminders for completing daily tasks. Participants will gain knowledge and practical strategies for integrating technology into support plans, ultimately empowering as person with developmental disabilities to live more independently and inclusively. In addition, the presenters will offer funding strategies for these essential tools.

Bio: Carol Napierski is the Vice President of Program Development & Grant Management for the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, formerly NYSACRA. One of Ms. Napierski’s primary responsibilities at the NY Alliance is Program Development in addition to leading the Housing Navigator program and network initiative where she is the CoDirector for the New York Housing Resource Center.

Ms. Napierski also serves as the Project Manager of the Council on Developmental Disabilities Housing Resources for Independent Living Grant and Person-Centered Planning Comprehensive System Transformation grant funded through the New York State Department of Health.

She is the staff liaison for the NY Alliance’s Assistive Technology Committee and promotes the use of assistive technology as a natural support within all aspects of supports and services. Prior to the NY Alliance, Ms. Napierski was the Executive Director of the New York Medical Equipment Providers Association for 10 years.

Ms. Napierski has more than 30 years of experience in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities and has worked in various positions including Special Educator, Behaviorist, Assistant Director of Day Treatment and Clinical Manager of an Article 28 Diagnostic and Treatment Center.

Ms. Napierski holds a Master’s degree in Special Education and an MBA Certificate in Managing a Non-for-Profit Organization.

Melissa Negrin-Wiener

Partner at Cona Elder Law and ELIJA Board Member

Ms. Negrin-Wiener chairs the firm’s Special Needs Practice Group and serves on the Board of Directors of the ELIJA Foundation. Ms. Negrin-Wiener guides families who have children with special needs, helping them access government benefits, handling their estate planning, Special Needs Trusts, and planning for decision-making for children as they reach adulthood.

Meghan O'Sullivan

SimplyHome Representative

Meghan O'Sullivan began her professional journey as a nurse in New York City before transitioning her focus to utilization of technology as a support for independent living. Recognizing the transformative potential of enabling technology, she has been working and collaborating with SimplyHome since 2010 and is currently their New Jersey, New York and Connecticut sales representative. Over the past two decades, SimplyHome has emerged as a trailblazer in pioneering person-centered support models. Through customized enabling technology solutions, training, and advocacy, the organization champions community-supported living and aging in place.

As SimplyHome's representative in NY, Meghan works closely with individuals and organizations, leveraging her expertise to help them achieve their goals. Over the last 15 years, she has partnered with numerous organizations across the region, specializing in tailored tech-based solutions that empower independence and foster greater self-determination. Meghan places a strong emphasis on identifying cost-effective strategies to maximize support for individuals seeking to live more independently.

Jason Watson, BCaBA, CBAA-NY

NSSA, Director: Self-Direction Transition Program Transition Consultant

Jason has been working with children, adults and families affected by Autism since his graduation from Quinnipiac College where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. In July of 2000, he began his employment with Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism at the Martin C. Barell School as an Instructor and was quickly promoted to Lead Instructor. After a few years as a Lead Instructor, Jason was promoted to the position of Coordinator for Adult, Vocational, and Family Support Services in 2004. During that time, he managed all Family Support Respite operations and established and developed NSSA’s Vocational Services and Adult Services Program for students aging out of the school-based setting.

Jason successfully completed his BACB® course work through the University of North Texas and became a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst, BCaBA, in September of 2010. He became a CBAA, Certified Behavior Analyst Assistant, in New York State in September of 2014 upon the creation of the NYS licensure. He is a member of NSSA’s Human Rights and Peer Review Committees and a participant in the Long Island Task Force for Aging Out and the LI Quality Assurance Task Force. He is also a member of the Long Island Informed Consent Committee.

Jason has presented at autism conferences, agency/school and community seminars and events on issues related to transition, vocational skill development and employment, adult services program development, OPWDD services, and community integration for students and adults with autism. He has also been a panel participant in those areas at various town halls and agency supported conferences. He has been a guest on an NPR affiliate radio show on transition and did a public service radio address on autism awareness and acceptance for the WFUV Strike a Chord Campaign.

In February of 2014, Jason was promoted to the position as NSSA’s Director of OPWDD Services where he continued to oversee all operations of NSSA’s adult services program and family support services. He has held the positions as Corporate Compliance Officer and NSSA’s Director of Community Engagement with a primary focus on outreach, community education on autism and ABA, OPWDD services, transition, and corporate compliance. He is currently the Director of NSSA’s Self Direction Transition Program, a Transition Consultant and Behavior Consultant. In December of 2018, Jason was appointed to the New York State, Office of the Professions Board for Applied Behavior Analysis and currently serves as a member and vice chair.

 Matthew Weick, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Director of ELIJA Transitional Programs and Services (TPS)

Matthew has been a member of the ELIJA team since late 2011. After 5 years as a Clinical Supervisor within in the School program, he began working in the Transition and Program Services department in January 2017. In October 2020, he was promoted to Director of our TPS program.

Matthew has a BA in psychology from Lehigh University and MA in liberal studies from Stony Brook University. In 2010, Matthew became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, he received his New York state licensure in 2015. Matthew has extensive experience in ABA and has been working in the field since 2003. Outside of ELIJA he enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and participating in a variety of sporting activities.

Pathway to Adulthood Conference Co-Sponsor - $3,000
Premier Signage at Conference and Inclusion in all Signage and Print/Digital Materials, including Logo/Link on ELIJA Website, Verbal Recognition During Conference, Logo included on the Promotional Giveaway, Full Screen Digital Program Ad (Premier Placement), Vendor Table and Conference Registration for 10.

 

Conference Lunch Sponsor - $1,500
Signage at Conference, Logo/Link on ELIJA Website, Verbal Recognition During Conference, Full Screen Digital Program Ad, Vendor Table and Conference Registration for 5.

 

Conference Breakfast Sponsor - $1,000
Signage at Conference, Logo/Link on ELIJA Website, Verbal Recognition During Conference, Half Screen Digital Program Ad, Vendor Table and Conference Registration for 2.

 

Digital Program Ad

Full Screen - $400

Half Screen - $200

Tables

Vendor Table - $400

Non Profit Vendor Table - $200

Sponsorship, Ads and Table Registration deadline is April 26, 2024!

   For Need Based Scholarships to the Conference, please fill out the form below